Ning Fa couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
If this person dared to fight back, it would be exactly what he wanted.
Although he wouldn't kill Liu Zhili, a severe lesson was unavoidable.
Liu Zhili's face was pale at this moment, but his expression had returned to calm.
He said solemnly, "Hall Master Ning, may I have a word in private?"
Ning Fa said without hesitation, "Not interested."
Liu Zhili frowned, then said in a low voice, "I know you hate me, but you need to consider the consequences of your actions. Doing this breaks the rules."
"You should know that smuggling isn't something our Liu Family did alone, and the profits weren't all ours. Can you manage all the other families? Acting like this will only make you a public enemy."
"If you're willing to settle this matter, not only will you get all these supplies, but I can also offer a large sum of Spirit Stones. We can even discuss giving you a portion of future profits. What do you say?"
After Liu Zhili finished speaking, the other Blazing Wind Hall members fell silent.
Ning Yuwen looked at Ning Fa, his brow furrowed slightly.
Ning Daozhen also looked at Ning Fa with amusement in his eyes.
Ning Fa, however, pouted and said without any concealment, "While I like Spirit Stones, I'd rather deal with you! And... your Liu Family!"
Ning Yuwen's eyes were suddenly filled with a strange expression.
Ning Daozhen's eyes widened, surprised that Ning Fa was so blunt.
Recalling Ning Fa's past deeds, his impression of Ning Fa as petty and vengeful deepened significantly.
The other members of Blazing Wind Hall felt similarly.
Ning Yunhui's body tensed, and he inwardly rejoiced.
This Hall Master was truly too vengeful.
First it was Ning Ruiming, and now the Liu Family.
Fortunately, he was clever enough to mend his relationship with Ning Fa in time.
Hearing Ning Fa speak so directly, Liu Zhili staggered, his face extremely pale.
At this moment, he deeply regretted the public annulment of his engagement years ago.
He also regretted not accepting Liu Qinghui's suggestion earlier.
But it was too late for regrets.
Ning Fa looked at him, smiled coldly, and said solemnly:
"The evidence that the Liu Family smuggled Fire Sun Stones and Shihua Wood is conclusive. Effective immediately, the Liu Family's ownership of the Fire Sun Stone veins and Shihua Wood forests is revoked, and my Ning Family will take over!"
"Furthermore, Blazing Wind Hall will be stationed at the Liu Family to audit their accounts. If necessary, Heart-Probing Talismans can be used on key Liu Family members to investigate the amount of smuggling in recent years, pending final sentencing!"
Liu Zhili's body trembled violently. If he hadn't been supported by two people, he would have collapsed to the ground.
The Blazing Wind Hall's discovery of the Liu Family's large-scale smuggling caused a huge stir within the family.
Many clan members were shocked by Ning Fa's methods, especially his vengefulness.
Everyone knew that Ning Fa was targeting the Liu Family so fiercely, most likely to retaliate for their public annulment of the engagement.
This, combined with the previous Ning Ruiming incident.
Many branches of the Ning Family sternly warned their members: never provoke Ning Fa!
At the same time, as news of Ning Fa's strict investigation into the Liu Family's smuggling spread, many people became restless.
Blazing Wind Hall Headquarters on Jinchang Island.
"Hall Master, here are the confession records of several key Liu Family members."
Ning Yunhui handed a jade slip to Ning Fa, who sat high on the main seat.
Ning Fa stared at him and suddenly asked, "Why is your expression so strange? Did those people like Liu Zhili dare to resist?"
Ning Yunhui gave a wry smile. "It's not that they won't confess, but they've confessed too much. You'll know when you see it, sir."
Ning Fa took the jade slip and placed it on his forehead.
A moment later, Ning Fa couldn't help but be astonished. "So many branches of our family are involved? And the amount is so large?"
Ning Yunhui's wry smile deepened, but he dared not speak casually.
Ning Fa stroked his chin. "No wonder that old scoundrel Liu Zhili said what he did that day, and no wonder so many people have been trying to curry favor and inquire about my stance these past few days."
Just then, Ning Fa's expression shifted.
He took out a Thousand-Mile Talisman from his storage bag. A line of text appeared on it.
Ning Fa raised his eyebrows and murmured, "Even the First Elder is alarmed?"
He thought for a moment, then got up and headed to Ningchang Island.
More than half a day later, Ning Fa returned.
He sat in his seat, his expression shifting between moods.
Ning Yuwen, seated beside him, couldn't help but ask, "Did the First Elder not allow you to deal with the Liu Family?"
Ning Fa shook his head. "That's not it. The First Elder told me to act as I see fit and gave me full authority over the Liu Family."
Ning Yuwen asked again, "Then why do you look so troubled?"
Ning Fa sighed softly. "Although the First Elder allowed me to deal with the Liu Family as I pleased, he also told me not to investigate the smuggling activities of the other family branches too deeply, just to let them be."
"It seems he has long been aware of this situation but chooses to ignore it, which I find very perplexing."
"I was wondering before, Elder Wu is usually quite impartial, so how could smuggling activities be so rampant when she was in charge of Blazing Wind Hall? It seems she might have also received instructions from the First Elder."
Ning Yuwen was also surprised after hearing this. He pondered for a moment and said, "The First Elder is a man of great strategic vision. He must have his reasons for doing this."
After thinking for a moment, he asked again, "Then, what about the smuggling activities of the Yuan Chang Island branch... should we still investigate?"
Ning Fa's eyes flickered, and then he said in a deep voice, "Let's forget about the other branches, but I cannot let the Yuan Chang Island branch go. So, Uncle Wen, I'll have to trouble you to investigate secretly."
"Alright!"
Ning Yuwen agreed and then left.
Ning Fa was about to return to the Pill Hall to study the Soul Quenching Pill.
Just then, a flash of fire appeared before him, and a Sound Transmission Talisman materialized.
Ning Liuan's loud voice came through, "Hall Master, Liu Qinghui from the Pill Hall requests an audience."
Ning Fa couldn't help but laugh. "It seems this woman finally couldn't sit still any longer."
A short while later, Liu Qinghui, dressed in a moon-white palace dress, walked in gracefully.
She looked at Ning Fa with a wistful expression, her gaze filled with a hint of melancholy. "I thought, given our current relationship, you would spare the Liu Family."
Ning Fa looked at her and asked with great interest, "Oh? What is our current relationship?"
Liu Qinghui's expression faltered, and a look of shame and annoyance appeared on her face, but she was too embarrassed to say it out loud.
Ning Fa, however, said lazily, "Are you trying to say that because you, an unmarried maiden, have been slept with by me so many times, I should show leniency because of that?"
"But don't deceive yourself. We both know that our dual cultivation was merely for mutual benefit, and I even feel like I was the one who lost out more."
Liu Qinghui's chest heaved violently.
After a long moment, she said coldly, "You've really changed. The you of the past wouldn't be so cold and heartless!"
Ning Fa smiled at her. If Liu Qinghui thought she could control him just because of their dual cultivation, she was gravely mistaken.
He, Ning Fa, hated being threatened the most.
Ning Fa smiled and said, "If that's all, then please leave."
Liu Qinghui gave him a deep look, then her expression returned to its usual delicate and charming, yet calm as water, demeanor.
She said softly, "Since that's the case, I will offer you three pieces of news in exchange for your leniency towards our Liu Family."